A lot of kids run away from home, or threaten to run away, but few encounter the wide range of adventures and misadventures experienced by Michael Kennon, author of “Memoirs of a Runaway: A Story of Hope.”
Kennon ran away from home in his early teens and hitchhiked across America in search of friends, comfort, security, and love. Unsuccessful in finding lasting friends, security or acceptance, Kennon turned to drugs, alcohol and sex and found himself living a troubled existence on the dark side of life. As a youth, the author faced many harrowing experiences and escapes from death while on the road or in drug dens.
Kennon had a wonderful father who died far too young. For awhile Michael and his stepfather got alone fine but then friction developed and grew to the point where physical abuse resulted. His home life deteriorated to the point where Michael reached this conclusion, “It became clear by my 13th birthday that I was never going to be loved by this man, was never going to be hugged by him, and he had no intention of bonding with me. I was beginning to feel completely inferior to Don.”
Once Michael hit the road he learned how to survive by approaching churches to ask for money, food vouchers or gas vouchers and to spend nights in homeless shelters. Kennon also had a knack for latching on to strangers and living with them for periods of time, arrangements that led to heavy involvement in drugs, booze and sex.
Eventually Kennon reached the end of the road and turned back to his childhood faith to seek God and be spiritually rescued. His return to God was prompted by a loving grandmother, Grandma Dolly, who always loved him unconditionally and stood by him when others appeared to have given up.
Kennon found a church to attend that helped him grow in faith and put his life back together. He now owns a successful trucking company and with the help of church, wife, daughter, and friends has turned his life completely around. This is the story of hope that emerges from the dark and sometimes scary pages of “Memoirs of a Runaway.”
The author summarizes his story of hope with these words, “This story is not over, it’s only beginning. I am no longer running away from something. I’m running to it. I am not lost, I am found. And with God’s will, I will continue to enjoy the life He intended for me. I now realize that it is faith that gets us through, and His grace that shows us the way. I believe God gave us free will and that whatever we run away from will only find us and become a part of us. It’s all about the journey-how to accept it and the choices we make. I truly believe that nothing is impossible with God and choose to run to Him.”
By Emory Daniels
Out of Darkness, Runaway Finds Hope and a New Life
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